David Oistrakh - Artist of the People? - a Film by Bruno Monsaingeon

The late Russian violinist David Oistrakh is one of three twentieth century musicians whose lives are examined in the Great Artists of the 20th Century series. The film tells of the violinist's struggle to reconcile his enforced conformity to the Soviet regime with his love of the violin. Some of Oistrakh's myriad performances were captured on film and the resulting footage provides a poignant musical backdrop to reminiscences from friends and colleagues such as Yehudi Menuhin, Gidon Kremer and Mstislav Rostropovich.